Pediatricians Recommend All Children Have BMI Calculated Annually

The American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended that all children and adolescents have their body mass index (BMI) calculated once a year.

Body mass index is a ratio involving weight and height that is widely used to determine whether people are overweight or obese. According to the academy, the percentage of overweight children has doubled in the past two decades in the United States.

Calling this increase dramatic, the academy is urging pediatricians to perform regular BMI checks.

"At any age, an excessive rate of weight gain relative to… growth should be recognized, and underlying predisposing factors should be addressed with parents and other caregivers," states the academy's new policy.

On the early recognition front, the academy advises pediatricians to discuss children's increases in BMI with their parents, while warning that some parents may be overly concerned, while others may not recognize or accept the potential risk of their children being overweight.

"Discussions to raise parental awareness should be conducted in a nonjudgmental, blame-free manner so that unintended negative impact on the child's self-concept is avoided," the academy recommends to pediatricians.

The academy notes that abundant opportunities exist for pediatricians to take a leadership role in advocating for more physical activity and more nutritious food for children, adding that change is desperately needed in child care centers, schools, after-school programs, and other community settings.

A list of the academy's recommendations regarding overweight children appears in the August issue of the journal Pediatrics. Among other things, tThe Academy recommends that pediatricians:

• Identify and track at-risk children by virtue of family history, birth weight or socioeconomic, ethnic, cultural or environmental factors;
• Encourage, support and protect breastfeeding;
• Encourage parents and caregivers to promote healthy eating patterns by offering nutritious snacks, low-fat dairy foods and whole grains;
• Promote physical activity, including unstructured play at home, in school, in childcare settings and throughout the community;
• Suggest to parents a maximum two-hour daily time limit for children to watch TV and videos.
  

Other sources: American Academy of Pediatrics, Pediatrics 112: 2; 424-430